Professor McGonagall seemed unable to speak for a moment. Lupin reached out and stopped the running wheel, his face twitching slightly as he looked at Scabbers.
"May I take him out?" he asked calmly. "There are still some things I don't understand."
Antony glanced at his closed windows and door, then shut the door to his bedroom as well. He pointed his wand at the running wheel.
"Open Sesame."
Click. The small metal door swung open. Scabbers squealed in terror, kicking and biting at Lupin's reaching fingers. Antony gave his own small rat a nod. The spectral rat squeaked and scrambled up the book spines back to its stack.
"Don't hurt him," Antony said, motioning for Lupin to step aside. "In case he isn't the man you're looking for… Mr. Weasley is still worried about him."
He reached into the cage and pulled out the large rat. Scabbers writhed and clawed in his grip. Antony stroked the top of its head with a finger. "If you're not an Animagus, I'll give you the wheel," he said comfortingly. He thought for a second. "Get you a bigger one. This one's a bit small."
Lupin drew his wand, pointing it at Scabbers.
"Minerva," Antony said. "Please assure me that Mr. Lupin will not harm Scabbers."
Professor McGonagall asked, "Remus?"
Lupin's wand arm remained steady. He gave a single nod.
"At least not now," he murmured softly. "Not before I figure this out." The tip of his wand ignited with a blue light, reflecting twin pinpricks of azure in Scabbers' beady black eyes. The rat shrieked.
"If he's not an Animagus, this won't hurt him," Lupin explained to Antony. He paused, a pale, bitter smile flickering across his lips. "But I doubt there's any other answer."
Blue light exploded in the room. Antony felt the rat in his hand go rigid, then struggle even more violently, almost wrenching free. The next instant, it was as if an invisible hand had reached in. Antony suddenly felt Scabbers grow lighter. Then it began to rise. McGonagall, who had watched the entire scene in silent apprehension, let out a small gasp ("It's true!"). Antony released his grip, watching Scabbers writhe, suspended in mid-air.
A moment later, Scabbers thudded to the floor, convulsing. The blue light shimmered over its body, turning every remaining patch of short, gray fur electric. The rat thrashed, its body contorting. Its head suddenly swelled—like a balloon being inflated. Bigger. Bigger. Its whiskers shrank back. Its fur receded. Its face twisted, changed. Its limbs ballooned. A man's head emerged. Then his limbs.
A few seconds later, a short, portly man stood trembling in the middle of Antony's office, his eyes brimming with tears, wringing his hands.
"Good afternoon, Peter," Lupin said with a smile. "Long time no see."
"R—Remus," Peter squeaked in his high-pitched voice. "Professor McGonagall, Minerva—"
McGonagall looked shocked and bewildered.
"Peter Pettigrew!" she said, sounding winded. "Truly! How…"
Tears welled in Peter's eyes.
"Remus, Remus, my friend…" he babbled. "I—I've been terrified every day. You have no idea what my life has been like…"
"Oh, really?" Lupin said, eyeing Peter's plump frame. "You look like you've been doing quite well, I must say."
Antony noticed Peter's eyes darting towards the office door and windows. He moved casually, placing himself between Peter and the window, his back to the desk. Peter flinched, looking away with a shudder.
"Remus, what is the meaning of this?" McGonagall demanded, her gaze darting between the two men. "I thought you were killed by Black, Peter!"
"Yes, Peter. So did I," Lupin said. "You can imagine my surprise today."
Peter went pale. "You don't understand, Remus…"
"I certainly don't," Lupin said. "Why don't you explain it to me, Peter? Why does everyone think you're a martyr? What really happened that day?"
"You know… you all know…" Peter stammered, sweat beading on his forehead. His small, wet eyes flickered frantically between Lupin and McGonagall. "Black betrayed James and Lily. He tried to kill me…"
"Then why are you still hiding?" Lupin asked, taking a small step forward. "Black's in Azkaban. The Dark Lord is gone. What are you afraid of? Who are you hiding from?"
Professor McGonagall echoed, "Yes, Peter. Why?"
"Because—because of Black!" Peter cried. "I was afraid Black would come after me—"
Lupin let out a short laugh. "Why would he come after you?"
"Because he wanted me dead!" Peter said, voice rising to a whine. "Have you thought about it, Remus? I was terrified… He killed all those people…"
"I've thought about it many, many times," Lupin said, his voice dangerously quiet. "I often wondered if things would have been different if James hadn't chosen Black as the Secret-Keeper. If he'd chosen you, or even me."
He took another step forward, his wand unwavering. Peter shuffled back.
"I've wondered if I could have gone with you to corner Black, perhaps you wouldn't have died, or maybe I could have died with you. I've even wondered… if you hadn't intercepted Black, if you'd survived and he'd escaped, how he'd have to hide. Wait for his master's wrath…
"He betrayed James and Lily, so we hated him. But the Death Eaters would blame him for the information that led to the Dark Lord's fall. They'd hate him too. He'd have to disappear. For years and years. I never thought anyone could hide that well." Lupin's eyes were locked on Peter. "But then I had a rather interesting thought just now. He might turn into a big black dog. Become someone's pet. What do you think, Peter?"
Peter gave a short, cringing laugh that sounded more like a sob.
"I—I don't know what that madman would do, Remus," he whispered. "I was scared."
"You were scared," Lupin repeated, flatly.
"Sorry, I'm not quite following," Antony interrupted, shutting a desk drawer with a soft thud. "Would someone care to explain what's happening?"
"Eleven years ago, James and Lily… shouldn't have been found," Professor McGonagall said, her voice hoarse. "We got word. Used the Fidelius Charm to protect their home. You know how it works, Henry. As long as the Secret-Keeper doesn't divulge it, the location remains safe…"
Antony nodded. The Fidelius Charm was another classic soul-magic. "But the Secret-Keeper talked."
"Exactly," McGonagall said. "James insisted on Black being the Secret-Keeper… After James and Lily died, Peter went after Black…" Her voice trailed off as she looked at the cowering, mostly-intact man in the center of the room. "And was blown to bits by Black. Only a finger remained…"
"That's right, Minerva, that's right!" Peter squeaked. "Except he didn't really kill me. I transformed. Escaped as a rat…"
"And hid for eleven years," Lupin finished.
Peter's body trembled. He widened his watery eyes. "Remus…"
"Black… Sirius likely wasn't the real Secret-Keeper, Minerva," Lupin said. "I can't think of another explanation. They switched it to Peter. Without telling anyone."
"Why?" Antony asked.
"I don't know. Maybe because Sirius wanted to fight. Maybe because he didn't even trust himself. Maybe they wanted Peter to feel valued." Lupin's voice was detached, analytical. "Maybe they just thought it was a good joke. Because no one would ever suspect Peter… James and Sirius loved that sort of joke."
McGonagall gave a weak, hollow laugh. "Oh, yes. They did."
"This is nonsense… I never…" Peter cried. "You don't believe this, do you, Minerva? You can't… Me? How? James was so adamant about Black. He even refused Dumbledore…"
"Albus always suspected one of us was leaking information…" McGonagall said slowly.
"I imagine I was a suspect," Lupin said plainly.
McGonagall nodded.
Peter seized on this like a lifeline. "You call me a traitor, Remus, why not you? This switching business… I never even thought of it… Minerva, hasn't he been hiding for eleven years too?"
"I'll tell you why it's not me," Lupin said, his voice dropping low. "Because Sirius went after you, not me. If the Secret-Keeper was switched, he'd know who the real one was. He didn't even think of me, Peter."
Peter's eyes darted around the room wildly, muttering "mad" and "ridiculous" under his breath.
Professor McGonagall's breathing grew quicker. Her expression made it clear she believed Lupin now.
"Peter Pettigrew," she said. "Do you deny this?"
Peter looked at her with utter despair. "Please, Minerva… You can't believe…"
"Think of James and Lily," McGonagall pressed, her voice fierce. "They invited us all for tea just weeks before… played Exploding Snap with you… Do you deny it?"
Peter wrung his hands, his wet eyes flitting between the three faces surrounding him, his whole body shaking.
"You complained about missing time with your family," Lupin said softly. "James said once the Dark Lord was gone, the lot of us would go to Greece. Bring your parents. He called you his loyal old friend…"
"How dare you!" McGonagall hissed, her voice like a whip-crack. "How dare you betray them!"
Peter broke. He threw himself to the floor, sobbing violently.
"You don't understand! You don't! He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named found me! I was never brave like you, Remus… Not like James and Sirius, you always knew that…"
"They trusted you! More than they trusted me!" Lupin shouted. Peter flinched as if struck, his sobs growing louder.
"They trusted you," Lupin whispered, the anger gone, replaced by something colder, emptier. "They never thought you weren't brave. James and Lily placed their lives in your hands. They suspected me. They never once suspected you."
…
"What shall we do with him?" Professor McGonagall asked, looking down at Peter with distaste.
Lupin said, with perfect politeness, "If no one objects, I'd like to kill him."
Peter shook his head, weeping. "Please, Remus…"
"No!" McGonagall said sharply. "We need his testimony. To clear Sirius's name."
"Minerva, what good is a clear name now?" Lupin asked, his voice bitter. "James and Lily are dead. Sirius has been in Azkaban for eleven years. He might as well be dead too. What good does letting this rat live do, except leave one more filthy soul in the world?"
"Upholds the rule of law?" Antony offered. "Though I have my doubts about the Ministry's procedural justice, we probably should at least notify them. More importantly, I don't like dead bodies in my office."
"This is Henry's office. It's Hogwarts," McGonagall said sternly. "You will not commit murder here, Remus."
Lupin stared down at Peter for a long moment. Finally, he lowered his wand.
"Thank you, Professor Antony!" Peter gasped in relief. "Minerva, thank you, thank you!"
McGonagall looked at him with pure revulsion.
"I don't object to you beating him, however," she told Lupin. "So long as it can be healed. You've graduated. I can't take points from Gryffindor anymore."
"Minerva," Antony said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Lupin gave Peter a thin smile and raised his wand again. Peter dropped to his knees.
"When the Dementors have sucked out every happy memory you have," Lupin said, rolling up his sleeves, "you might still remember our little dueling practice, old friend."
McGonagall said, "No, Remus. The sentence would be the Dementor's Kiss."
Lupin nodded. "I'll make sure he doesn't escape."
The last trace of color drained from Peter's face. His eyes darted to the doors and windows again, meeting Antony's steady gaze.
"You won't let them do this, will you, Professor Antony?" Peter quavered. "Ron is waiting for me… Ron will be so sad…"
"I'm more concerned he might not be thrilled to learn his pet was a man," Antony told him. "Other than that, a nine-Knut black rat can jump around just fine."
Peter's face turned ashen. He swiveled towards McGonagall.
"Minerva! Minerva!" He began crawling slowly towards her on his knees. "You watched me grow up… since I was eleven… You even arranged my seat! You can't bear to…"
McGonagall stepped back with a frown, pointing her wand at his head. "I only wish you had never been in Gryffindor!" she spat, her voice thick with disgust.
Peter froze. He turned to Lupin, who was advancing again, wand aimed unwaveringly.
Peter trembled, raising his hands in a pleading gesture.
"You were always… the kindest to me… Remus…"
Lupin stopped dead. A spark of desperate hope lit in Peter's eyes. He trembled, pleading. "I always remembered, Remus… From our first year, you were always so kind…"
When Lupin spoke again, his voice held a chill that could freeze blood.
"You're mistaken," he said, utterly calm. "The kindest to you was James. It was always James."
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